Finance chiefs have been totting up claims each individual member put in over the past year.

They are each entitled to a basic allowance from the public purse of £3,192, with car mileage, expenses for telephone, travel and other out of pocket subs on top. In addition leaders and committee chairmen are allocated extra responsibility allowances.

Councillors serving Wilmslow claimed a total shareout of £110,357. Not surprisingly, because of his role, the highest earner was Mayor Councillor Barry Burkhill, Handforth, who claimed £17,936, during his year of office.